Propeller and control means therefor



Jan. 10, 1933. T. L. SMITH PROPELLER AND CONTROL MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 14, 1930- 2 Sheets-Sheet Jan. 10, 1933. T. 1.. SMITH PROPELLER AND CONTROL MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb 14. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 2 w Md Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THEODORE L. SMITH, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGN OR TO CAILLE MOTOR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN PROPELLER AND CONTROL MEANS THEREFOR Application filed February 14, 1930. Serial No. 428,261.

This invention relates to improvements in propellers and control means therefor and may be characterized as an improvement upon the adjustable blade propeller and control means of my prior Patent No. 1,737,523 of November 26, 1929.

The present invention relates particularly to a speed changing and reversing propeller and control in which the propeller blades are adjustable to different pitch positions for changing the speed and for reversing the direction of drive and the control means is arranged for manipulation from the steering handle or tiller lever.

The objects of the present invention are to improve the pivotalmounting of the propeller blades, to provide greater symmetry and better balance of the blades upon these mountings, to provide for adjusting the blades to different pitch positions through the mounting means without additional eccentrically disposed connections with the blades and without disposing the blade pivots in a manner to accommodate such additional connections and to improve the actuating connections between the propeller control means and the blades.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a motor embodying the invention partially broken away and partially in section;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the under water unit;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical detail sec tion taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4: is a fragmentary detail section through the means for locking the control handle inits different positions and taken on the line %4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the propeller blade adjusting rack;

Figure 6 comprises collectively five more or less diagrammatic views showing the differgnt pitch positions of the propeller blades; an

Figure 7 is a detail section through one of the propeller shaft bearings taken on the line 7--7 of Figure 1. 7

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the tubular post which encloses the main drive shaft 6. At its upper end the tube 5 is provided with a collar 6 and is secured to turn and held against axial displacement upon a hub 7 depending from the crank case 8 of the engine. The collar 6 has an arm 9 and pivoted at 10 on the collar and arm unit 6, 9 is the control lever 11. Mounted at 12 upon the lower end of the tube 5 to turn therewith is an under water unit designated in its entirety at 13. The tube 5 and the under water unit 13 are turned to steer the craft to which the motor is applied by swinging the lever 11 laterally and the blades of the propeller 14 are swung to different pitch positions to change the speed and direction of movement by swinging the lever 11 vertically about the pivot 10.

The upper power head of the motor has brackets 18 pivoted at 19 to a bracket 20 which is adapted for removably attaching the motor to the stern board 21 of the boat by clamps 22. The entire motor and vertical propeller assembly are swingable about the pivot 19 for clearing the under Water unit of obstructions and for beaehing.

The bracket 20 has segmental arm means 23 provided with arcuate slots 24 and a saddle stop 25 is adjustably secured to the arm means 23 at 26. In the forward movement of the boat the tube 5 is held against the stop 25 by the thrust of the propeller in the water and at the same time the under Water unit 13 at the lower end is free to tilt rearwardly. To prevent the under water unit from swing: ing backwardly by the thrust of the propeller in the water when the motor is in reverse there is attached at 28 to the connecting rod 29 a ring member 31. When the handle is swung to reverse position this ring member moves up over the lower end of the stop 25 and locks the motor in position against swinging back about the pivot 19. As the rod 29 is shifted to swing the propeller blades to forward or neutral position the ring 30 is moved downwardly out of engagement with the stop 25 and the under water unit is free to swing rearwardly about the pivot 19. The shaft 6 is connected at its upper end with the crank shaft of the engine and extends down through the tube 5, the lower end of this shaft entering the gear housing 35 and having fixed thereto a bevel gear 36 which meshes with a bevel gear 37 fixed at 38 upon the propeller shaft 39. The bottom of the gear housing has an integral downwardly ex tending fin 40 which acts as a rudder and also to protect the propeller by clearing the same of obstructions in the path of movement of the boat.

A block 42 is secured between the gear case 35 and the lower end of the tubular post 5, the post 5 being provided with a flanged collar 43 secured thereto and the block '42 and case 35 being secured to said collar by.

bolts 44. The shaft 39 is journaled on opposite sides of the gear 37 in radial thrust bearings 45, 46 the bearing 46being mounted in a recess 47 and the bearing being mounted in a bearing support 48 secured by screws 49 to the gear case 35 and provided with a reduced inner end fitting into the gear case opening 50. The bearing support 48 has an outwardly projecting generally U- shaped wall 51 constituting the bottom part of an enclosure 52 for the connection between the lower end of the control rod 29 and the propeller adjusting means. This enclosure is completed by a plate 53 secured to the gear case 35 by screws 54, the removal of the plate 53 permitting access to the screws 49 disposed within the enclosure.

The propeller 14 comprises a hub 60 fixed upon the shaft 39 to turn therewith by a pin 61 which is preferably weaker than the propeller so that in case of engagement with an obstruction the pin will shear first and therebyprevent injury to the propeller. The hub 60 is internally recessed at 62 and mounted upon the periphery of the hub 60 are a pair of diametrically opposite adjustable pitch blades 63. The inner end of each blade 63 has a generally circular and flat ended base 64 fitting in a correspondingly shaped flat bottom recess 65 in the outer peri hery of the hub 60.

The base 64 of each blade 63 has an integral pivot pin 66 substantially centrally disposed at the inner end of the blade with the blade balanced and symmetrically disposed thereon. The pivot pins 66 bear in the hub 60 passing through the outer wall of the hub and into the recess 62 at their inner ends. Fixed upon the inner end of each pin 66 to turn the pin therewith is a pinion 67 these pinions being disposed within the recess 62 and the pins 66 being threaded to receive castellated nuts 68 for securing the pins 66 in the hub 60 and the pinions 67 against displacement.

A bifurcated rack 70 having a hub 71 slidably bearing upon the shaft 39 has a pair of prongs 72 which operate between the pinions 66 and which are of generally arcuate section conforming with the inner periphery of the hub 60 as shown in Figure 3. One side of one prong 72 has rack teeth 73 meshing with the pinion 67 on one blade and the opposite side of the other prong has rack teeth 74 meshing with the opposite side of the pinion 67 on the opposite blade, so that as the rack is shifted along the shaft 39 the opposite blades will be turned in opposite directions about the pivot pins 66 to adjust the pitch of said blades. The prong having its rack teeth in engagement with the pinion on one blade clears the opposite pinion at 75 and the other prong clears at 76 the pinion with which the first prong engages.

It will be noted from the foregoing description that not only are the pivot pins 66 substantially centrally disposed at the inner ends of the blades 63 so that the blades will be symmetrically disposed and better balanced on these pivotal mountings, but the blades are adjusted to their different pitch positions through the mounting pins 66 without additional eccentrically disposed connections with the blades and without disposing the blade pivots in a manner to accommodate such additional connections. At the same time the pinions 67 and the actuating engagement of the rack therewith are enclosed within the hub 60 of the propeller and with the construction shown the blades may be conveniently removed and replaced upon the hub 60. A cap nut 77 is threaded upon the outer end of the propeller shaft 39 with a washer 78 interposed between it and the outer end of the hub 60.

For the purpose of shifting the rack 70 along the shaft 39 by the vertical movement imparted to the rod 29 when the handle 11 is swung about its pivot 10, the lower end of the rod 29 is connected within the housing 52 with the rack 70. The connection comprises a shifting yoke 80 pivoted at 81 on a boss 82 integral with the bearing support 48. The yoke 80 is of general bell crank form with its lower end straddling the hub 71 of the rack 70 and provided with elongated slots which are engaged with pins 83 on the propeller shifting ring 84 which operates in the annular groove 85 in the hub 71. The upper end of the yoke 80 is pivoted at 86 to a link 87 connected with the lower end of the rod 29.

In the particular embodiment of the invention selected for illustration the propeller blades 63 have five different pitch positions full pitch for high speed forward indicated at A in Figure 6, half pitch for low speed forward indicated at B, one-quarter pitch for trolling speed forward as indicated at C, no pitch for idling as indicated at D and one-half reverse pitch indicated atEfor slow reverse movement of the craft. The lever 11 therefore has five positions about the pivot 10 for adjusting the blades of the propeller to these different pitch positions as desired. For locking the lever 11 in its different angular positions and thereby the propeller blades in their different pitch positions, the arm 9 has a quadrant slot 90 at its outer end which slot 90 is provided with a plurality of notches, one for each of the different pitch positions of the propeller blades 63. The outer end of the lever 11 is provided with a handle 91 and a rod 92 extends through this handle, the outer end of the rod 92 having a button 93 and the inner end is attached to a clevis 94 the forked end of which straddles the adjacent end of the quadrant arm and carries a pin 95 which passes through the slot 90 and is selectively engageable with the notches 96. The opposite ends of the pin 95 extend into openings 97 in the sides of the lever 11, these openings 97 being elongated to permit shifting or moving of the pin out of engagement with the notches 96by pressing the button 93, the pin 95 being normally engaged with one of the notches 96 by a spring 98 confined within the handle 91.

The handle locking means above described corresponds with that disclosed in my prior patent herein referred to. In order to change the pitch of the propeller blades 63 the button 93 is pressed to disengage the locking pin 95 and the lever 11 is swung to position the blades 63 at the desired pitch, the pin 95 automatically springing into or engaging the notch 96 for that position and locking the blades against displacement.

The engine muffler indicated at 100 discharges through a stream-line exhaust manifold 102 with the outlet from the manifold 102 at the lower end thereof as indicated at 103 so that the exhaust discharge will be water mufiied. The block 4 -2 has a horizontal battle 104 extending over the propeller 14 for improving the action of the propeller in the water. Fixed upon the shaft 6 and operating in a cavity 105 in the block 42 is an im peller wheel 106 for supplying water to the water jacket of the internal combustion engine. The gear case portion of the under water unit has an inlet passage 107 for supplying water from the body of water in which the under water unit is operating to the impeller 106 from where it is delivered through a passage 108 and tube 109 to the water jacket of the engine. The inlet end of the passage 107 is grated by cross bars 110 for excluding foreign matter.

The gear case opening in which the bearing 45 is mounted is sealed by a flexible seal ng ring 112 (Figure 7) which may be of leather or other suitable material with one end clamped with a retainer 113 between a flange 114 on the bearing support 48 and the bearing 45.

The inner edge of the sealing ring 112 is turned and bears along the shaft 39 a split ring, spring or other suitable element 115 holding the inner edge of the ring 112 as shown and this ring 112 is held in place by the outer flange 116 of the retainer 113 which may be of sheet metal, it being understood that the flange 116 may be bent in to hold the ring 115 in place after the parts are assembled. A similar seal is indicated at 118 just above the bearing 119 for the lower end of the shaft 6 and another similar seal is indicated at 120 adjacent the bearing 47.

I claim 1. The combination with an out-board motor comprising a tubular post having a motor at its upper end and an under-water unit at its lower end, a propeller shaft journaled on said under-water unit, an adjustable pitch propeller on said shaft, a shaft connected to the motor at its upper end and geared to the propeller shaft at its lower end, and a steering handle, of an enclosure on said underwater unit in which said propeller shaft is journaled, a longitudinally shiftable link disposed alongside said post and connected with said handle at its upper end and entering said enclosure at its lower end, and an actuating connect-ion disposed within said enclosure and connecting the lower end of said link with the propeller for adjusting the pitch of the propeller blades from said steering handle.

2. In combination, a tubular post having a motor at its upper end and an under water unit at its lower end, a propeller shaft journaled on said under water unit, an adjustable pitch propeller on said shaft, a shaft connected to the motor at its upper end and geared to the propeller shaft at its lower end, a steering handle, an enclosure on said under water unit, a longitudinally shiftable link disposed alongside said post and connected with said handle at its upper end and entering said enclosure at its lower end and an actuating connection disposed within said enclosure and connecting the lower end of said link with the propeller for adjusting the pitch of the propeller blades from said steering handle, said under water unit including a gear case for the gear connection with the propeller shaft, a block secured between said gear case and the lower end of the tubular post, said actuating connection enclosure being removably attached to said gear case and to said block and a bearing member for the propeller shaft removably secured to said case and constituting a part of said actuating connection enclosure.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tubular post having a motor at its upper end and an under water unit at its lower end, a propeller shaft j ournaled on said under water unit, an adjustable pitch propeller on said shaft, a shaft connected to the motor at its upper end and geared to the propeller shaft at its lower end,

enclosure and connecting the lower end of said link with the propeller for adjustin the pitch of the propeller blades from sai steering handle, said actuating connection comprising a bifurcated rack having a hub portion carriedby said propeller shaft and forks extending into and carried by the propeller for adjusting the pitch thereof, and means pivoted to said enclosure for connecting the lower end of said longitudinally shiftable link with said hub.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tubular post having a motor at its upper end and an under water unit' at its lower end, a propeller shaft journaled on said under water unit, an adjustable pitch propeller on said shaft comprising a hollow hub, adjustable pitch blades, means pivoting the inner ends of said blades on said hub and extending into said hub, and motion transmitting means carried by said pivoting means, a shaft connected to the motor at its upper end and geared to the propeller shaft at its lower end, and a steering handle, of an enclosure on said under water unit, a longitudinally shiftable link disposed alongside said post and connected with said handle at its upper end and entering said enclosure at its lower end, a bifurcated rack having a hub portion carried by said propeller shaft within said enclosure and having offset and opposed forks extending into said hollow propeller hub and and cooperating with said motion transmitting means, and means disposed in said enclosure between said shaft gears and propeller and connecting the lower end of said link with the hub portion of said rackfor adjusting the pitch of the propeller blades from said steering handle.

5. In combination, a propeller shaft, a propeller hub fixed upon said shaft, said hub having an internal recess provided with concave opposite sides formed on a common center, a pair of generally diametrically opposite propeller blades having pins pivoting said blades upon said hub, said pins extending into the recess in the hub, pinions on said pins, a rack having a hub bearing upon the propeller shaft and slidable thereon, said rack hub having integral arms each of arched section and having outer arcuate surfaces formed on acommon center and bearing directly on the opposite concave sides of the recess in said hub, rack teeth on one edge of one of said arms meshing with one pinion and rack teeth on the opposite edge of the other of an under-water unit having an enclosure, a propeller shaft journaled in said enclosure, a propeller hub fixed upon said shaft, said hu having an internal recess provided with concave opposite sides formed on a common center, a pair of generally diametrically opposite propeller 'blades having pins pivoting said blades upon said hub, said pins extending into the recess in the hub, pinions on said pins, a rack having a hub bearing upon the propeller shaft and slidable thereon, said rack hub having'integral arms each of arched section and having outer arcuate surfaces formed. on a common center and bearing directly in the opposite concave sides of the recess on said hub, rack teeth at one edge of one arm meshing with one pinion, rack teeth at the opposite edge of the other arm meshing with the other pinion, a shifting yoke pivoted in said enclosure, a tiller bar, a rod actuated by said bar and extending down into said enclosure, and a connection disposed within said enclosure and connecting the lower end of said rod with said shifting yoke.

7. The combination with an out-board motor comprising a tubular post having a motor. at its upper end and an under-water unit at its lower end, a propeller shaft journaled on said under-water unit, an adjustable pitch propeller on said shaft, a shaft connected to the motor at its upper end and geared to the propeller shaft at its lower end, and a steering handle, of an enclosure on said under-water unit in which said propeller shaft is journaled, propeller adjusting means connected with said handle at its upper end and entering said enclosure at its lower end, and an actuating connection disposed within said enclosure and connecting the lower end of said propeller adjusting means with the propeller for adjusting the pitch of the propeller blades from said steering handle.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of February, 1930.

THEODORE L. SMITH. 

